Halloween Treat
by sissannis
Summary: It was the night of Halloween when they first met. [ONE-SHOT]


* * *

**31 October 1961**

Andromeda found it weird that her family stayed inside and threw a party on this date every year.

Muggles ー she mused ー on the other hand, was obviously weirder.

They went out late at night, wearing awful clothes and makeup, walking around the neighbourhood with their small basket and knocking on strangers' doors.

"Aren't their parents worry of their poor manners?" She said in disdain. She was so immersed in her own thoughts when a small pebble hit the third floor window of her bedroom. Startled and curious, she peeked out to see a young boy across the road.

He was wearing a black cape with a messy white powder smeared over his face, black liner around his eyes, and, was that red supposed to be blood? Why would he have blood on his lips?

"Hey!" The boy yelled up at her.

Andromeda looked around her room, convinced he couldn't be calling to her. The decadent room was empty behind her.

"Hey!" He called again.

"Me?" She replied, feeling agitated by the unwelcome yelling. It wouldn't do for her parents to hear her conversing with this boy; with any boy.

"Who else?! Are you gonna open the door?" The boy said impatiently.

"Why should I?!" She called back nervously.

"Because it's halloween! And I want my treat!"

"Father said I should stay quietly in my room!" She was on the verge of tears and unsure of what to do.

"What?! On Halloween?! Is he a nutter like my uncle Ben?!"

"No! He's not a nutter like your uncle Ben!"

"Then open the door!"

"Fine!" Cautiously she turned the doorknob and slipped out of her bedroom, running directly into her ebony haired sister.

"Bella!" She exclaimed in shock.

Bellatrix looked down at her 8 years old sister and raised an eyebrow, she obviously found her panic-stricken face entertaining.

"What are you doing out of your room, little sister?" She sneered.

"Uhh… I'm thirsty," Andromeda replied as her eyes roamed the corridor, looking anywhere but her sister's face.

"You could just summon Kreacher to get you a drink," said Bella, unconvinced of Andromeda's lie.

"Yeah but ー I want to use the loo?" Andromeda replied lamely.

"Toilet is the other way, dearest," Bella sang, grinning.

Andromeda began to panic in full force. If Bella told on her she would be in so much trouble with their parents. She could feel a bead of sweat threatening to roll between her brows.

"Right, of course! Well, I should get going then! To the loo!" Andromeda spun and began in the other direction but Bella grabbed her wrist.

"You're acting funny, little one. Is there anything I should know about? Anything I could help you with?" Bella smirked, face now a breath away from Andromeda's.

Andromeda swallowed hard and Bella's smirk grew wider.

"So?"

"There's a boy outside he wanted me to open the door for him because he said it's Halloween and he wants his treat and his uncle Ben is a nutter and so is father and I told him no but he argued me into it and so I said yes and now I can't because you found me!" Andromeda explained in one long breath, silencing her older sister.

Bella hummed, pondering what her little sister had just said. "So you need to open the front door so that he can get his treat?"

"Yes." Andromeda's answer was timid, she wondered if it was a good idea to let her sister in on her predicament. But really, it wasn't like she had a choice. Bella could be so intimidating, with her wild curly hair and her large black eyes, and that wild grin she had plastered on her face right this second.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Bella said cheerfully, dragging her excitedly down the stairs.

"You aren't mad?" Andromeda's words tumbled from her breathlessly as they flew down the steps.

"Why should I be? Anything is better than this boring party!"

They now reached the first floor where the Black's annual Halloween party was in full swing.

"Now listen. I'll be your lookout. So when I give you the okay, you open the door and out."

"What's the treat?" Andromeda asked as they both tiptoed down the dark hallway. Her family never had given treats on Halloween. She didn't know what was the treat. Was it the party?

"A kiss? A hug?" Bella suggested, turning her head and nodding to her little sister. "Now!"

She ran to the door and swung it open to meet her intruder.

"Hello?" She called, looking around tentatively as she shut the front door behind her.

"Trick or treat!" He jumped out from behind one of the ornamental trees that framed the doorway, his cape billowing behind him.

"Treat?" Andromeda asked in a small voice.

"Treat it is!" He replied, shoving his small pumpkin shaped basket out and waiting for his treat.

"Well?" He continued when she did nothing.

Andromeda closed her eyes and leaned forward to give the boy a sloppy kiss on his cheek. When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see his widened amber eyes staring at her.

"What was that for?!" He shrieked.

She had not expected that reaction.

"I ー I thought you wanted a treat? A kiss?" She stammered.

"Well ー" the boy said rubbing his left cheek as his eyes met hers. Without correcting her idea of a treat he grinned and continued, "Thank you! That was the best treat ever!"

She beamed at him, her dark grey eyes shining. "You're welcome!"

He turned to leave when her small voice broke the Halloween night.

"Will you come and visit next Halloween?" She asked timidly.

He stopped and looked at her, a small girl in a very bright yellow dress, her curly light brown hair fashioned into some sort of half-braid, her eyes were uncertain but hopeful, looking straight back at him.

He cleared his throat. "Of course I will!"

She smiled and gave him a slight nod.

"What's your name?"

"Andromeda Black." She said with a small curtsey, "and yours?"

"Ted Tonks."

"So, uhm, I'll see you next year, Mr. Tonks?"

He laughed at her formality, "Yeah. See you next year, Dromeda!"

She wanted to argue, to ask him to properly call her Miss Black or Andromeda, but his black cape was the last thing she saw of him. She still didn't understand why was he dressed so strangely.

* * *

 **31 October 1962**

A pebble hit Andromeda's window.

She jumped eagerly off her bed and opened the window to see him there, standing across the road. This year he was wearing a furry costume, hands gloved in brown fur, with what seemed to be claws topping each fingers. Their eyes met and he grinned.

"It's Halloween, Dromeda! And I want my treat!"

 **ー**

 ** _Thank you to the lovely @chormac for the beta! You is best! x_**


End file.
